ASSE considering new name and logo to reflect diverse membership

04/12/2017

PARK RIDGE, Illinois — A successful professional organization needs to evolve with changing times to best support its members and maintain an inclusive environment capable of strong growth. That’s why the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) is considering a new name and logo after more than 100 years of being at the forefront of the occupational safety and health field. If approved by members, the new name would be the American Society of Safety Professionals.

“When we began, engineers made up our entire membership,” said ASSE President Tom Cecich, CSP, CIH. “Today, the occupational safety and health profession encompasses many disciplines. Our name should reflect the diverse makeup of our membership.”

Research conducted over the past year with ASSE members, customers and stakeholders worldwide indicated that an updated brand with a clearer vision would better reflect the organization’s current membership and position it for growth. A new name also would help eliminate confusion about who could join the society. ASSE is a vibrant global community of more than 37,000 professionals who develop and implement safety and health programs in the workplace, protecting people and property while improving business outcomes.

“Workplace safety is constantly evolving, and so must we,” Cecich said. “Our profession includes more occupations and industries than ever before. Our members are knowledgeable about everything from risk assessment and hazard control to workers’ compensation and organizational management, not to mention the more traditional aspects of safety management and engineering.”

ASSE advances its members and the safety profession through education, advocacy, standards development and a professional community. Its members take advantage of a variety of programs and networking opportunities.

“Having lacked consistency with our brand by using multiple logos over the years, we want to unify under one global brand with a name that’s more representative of who we are,” said Micah D’Orazio, director of marketing. “A stronger and more relevant brand would enable us to build deeper relationships with our members and help us attract and retain younger professionals.”

The new name and logo – unanimously recommended by the ASSE Board of Directors in January – now goes before the society’s House of Delegates on June 19 at the Safety 2017 Professional Development Conference & Exposition in Denver. If passed there, the name change would be voted on electronically by ASSE’s entire membership during a 45-day period ending in August. Implementation would occur in the first quarter of 2018, including a new society website.

“This brand refresh is important because it fully supports our diverse membership that works hard every day to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses,” Cecich said. “The Board of Directors believes our future is now. Changing our name and logo are bold, significant proposals that support an inclusive environment and show our commitment to the future.”

About ASSE – Working together for a safer, stronger future

For more than 100 years, the American Society of Safety Engineers has been at the forefront of helping occupational safety and health professionals protect people and property. The nonprofit society is based in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge. Its global membership of more than 37,000 professionals covers every industry, developing and implementing programs that prevent fatalities, injuries and illnesses. ASSE advances its members and the safety profession through education, advocacy, standards development and a professional community. Its flagship publication, Professional Safety, is a longtime leader in the field. Visit www.asse.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.